Battle of the Iron Triangle

The Battle of the Iron Triangle occurred from 16 May to 20 November 1974 during the Vietnam War.

In May 1974, North Vietnamese NVA troops entered the Iron Triangle to the northwest of Saigon, the South Vietnamese capital, capturing Rach Bap on 17 May and flattening An Dien, where many of the ARVN troops had regrouped. The ARVN launched an initial counterattack there, but the NVA 9th Division tenaciously defended the town. The ARVN then subjected An Dien to heavy artillery fire, and it retook the town and held it against an NVA armored counterattack on the night of 5-6 June. On 7 June, the ARVN began efforts to recapture Base 82, and, on 11 September, the routed ARVN 8th Regiment was replaced by the 9th Regiment. The ARVN attacked the NVA base at Ben Cat and used artillery support to destroy the NVA bunkers, reclaiming Ben Cat and Base 82 on 4 October after 4 months of fighting. On 20 November, ARVN troops entered Rach Bap unopposed after heavy fighting earlier that week, fully recapturing the Iron Triangle and re-establishing an outer line of defense.